INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The girl-child is a biological female offspring from birth to 18 years of age. During this period, the young girl is totally under the care of the adult who may be parents, guardians or elder siblings. It is also a period when the girl-child is malleable, builds and develops her personality and character. She is very dependent on others on who she models her behaviour, through observation, repetition and imitation. Her physical, mental, social, spiritual and emotional developments start and progress to get to the peak at the young adult stage (Sutherland, 2001).
The development of any society would be grossly lopsided if the girl child is not given quality education. Education in any normal society is accepted as an instrument to power, prestige, survival, greatness and advancement for men and women. The United Nations General Assembly (2001) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates that everyone has the right to education which shall be free at least in elementary and primary stages. Similarly, the National Policy on Education emphasizes among other things that there will be equal opportunities for all citizens. However, Osinulu (1994) lamented that the Girl Child is discriminated against in terms of education and given out to marriage early thereby denying the Girl-Child the required competences for community development.
Education is a basic human right and has been recognized as such since the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. A positive correlation exists between the enrollment of girls in primary school and the gross national product and increase of life expectancy (Wikipedia, 2012). Because of this correlation, enrollment in schools represents the largest component of the investment in human capital in any society. Rapid socio-economic development of a nation has been observed to depend on the caliber of women and their education in that country. Education bestows on women a disposition for a lifelong acquisition of knowledge, values, attitudes, competence and skills. Women in Nigeria have had various challenges in order to obtain equal education.
In recognition of the fact that in many countries, both developed and developing, the status of girls is significantly worse than that of boys, the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, identified the persistent discrimination against the girl child and the violation of her rights as one of the 12 critical areas of concern requiring urgent attention by governments and the international community among which is the need for increasing girl-child education. Without access to education, girls are denied the knowledge and skills needed to advance their status. By educating girls, societies stand to gain economically.
History has shown that development can occur only when every member that constitutes the society participates in its development. Hence development should be seen as a collective responsibility of all the people that make up the society irrespective of sex, age class. (Ijere 1486).
Though the colonial administration gave little recognition to the socio-economic status of women thus women’s role in economic empowerment was relegated to kitchen and catering to the needs of their children and husband. While empowerment and trade were for men.
Now the Nigerian woman has gone beyond the stage of merely agitating for liberation or equal right with her male counterpart. The nation’s current constitution of 1979 accepts the obligation to accord women the same treatment as is accorded to men in all spheres of life, particularly in all areas covered by the convention. Women, today contribute over 80% of the nations food supply. (Ijere 2006).
Though women contribute over 80% of the nations food supply, their economic power are still limited. They have limited access to ownership of land and housing, limited participation in nation building. The role of women in economic empowerment is determined by the society and also by the societal perception of the status and place of women and the extents of their participation in economic development of their family and the society in general.
In Nigeria today, the women folk have come a long way in businesses, politics, education, sports and other professions. They have made an indelible mark in their efforts to conquer the limitations of the past which have sought to place them permanently in the kitchen and bedroom. However, it is not all through a bed of roses for women and their empowerment. Majority of Nigerian women have not been fully mobilized and empowered to contribute to national development. If it had been so, we would not still be talking about good health for women, educational, economic, social, cultural and political empowerment of women. It is on this note that we will attempt to explore challenges of educating a girl – child and women empowerment in Anambra state, Idemili North LGA.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The girl-child, and indeed women the world over, especially in Africa and Nigeria has had their destiny sealed from birth by tradition and culture on account of their biological sex. They have been called the weaker sex in order to justify societal discrimination and oppression against them. They must remain silent hewers of wood and drawers of water, bearers of children, and toilers of arduous labour from sun-rise to sun-down. They can be seen but not to be heard in both the private and the public spaces of decision making. The girl-child by the natural status ascribed to her by male defined norms of societal conduct and behaviour remains a property to be owned and commoditized. Consequently, her rights are circumscribed by tradition, custom, and the chauvinism of male patriarchy. No community will remain undeveloped if it has the required human capital and the best instrument for developing any society is to invest in human capital (Richardson, 2009). This is because
the acquired knowledge and skills will guarantee the economic and social liberation of the individual and by implication enhances their contributions to community and national development (Efe, 2001).
Essentially, the Girl-child must be educated in terms of their role in the society, whether as Producers or Reproducers; they are mainly responsible for the care and well-being of their families, they play an important role as educators of future generations, they perform economic functions and social functions (Ballara, 2002). As more and more women are educated, the health of the nation improves. With rising education among the girl child (women), there will be also a rise of women in the labour force; women education aids in the protection of the environment and also improves agricultural practices. Thus, for society to be developed, the Girl-child must be allowed access to good and qualitative education (Ballara, 2002).
It is against this background that this study will seek to identify and examine specific challenges of educating a girl – child and women empowerment in Anambra state, Idemili North LGA.
1.3 Research Questions
The following research questions are raised to guide this study:
1.4 Purpose of the Study
The aim of this study is to identify and examine specific challenges of girl-child education in Idemili North Local Government.
The objectives are:
1.5 Significance of the Study
The girl-child is an important asset of advancement in any society. The absence of adequate girl-child education means a huge loss of human resource and potential and has costs for both men and women and also on development. Girls grow to eventually become women and they must be included and accommodated in all forms of opportunities and resources as their male counterparts. Closing the gap in education and ensuring that more girls are educated is essential not only for building a just society, but also a pre-requisite for suitable development. Education is the right of every girl-child, and it is a key to transforming her life and making her a responsible member of the society. Without education, girls are denied the opportunity to develop their full potentials and play productive roles in the society. Although some efforts has been made to improve girl-child education in Nigeria, much still needs to be done if women must realize their potentials and fully contribute to the political, socio-economic and technological transformation of the country.
The findings of this study ?Girl-child education and its Challenges? shall be of help to policymakers, Universal Basic Education (UBE), Local Government Education Authority (LEA) and the general public on how to handle and resolve those obstacles and challenges that hinders the education of the girl-child and advance their education in Idemili North Government Areas, Anambra state and Nigeria as a whole.
This study will add to existing body of knowledge on the Challenges of educating a girl – child and women empowerment in Anambra state and with specific reference to Idemili North Local Government and in Nigeria as a whole.
The study would equally be of help to fellow students who would want to embark on similar research work. It would provide them with the rudiment/elements of research report writing as well as relevant literature, which could serve as a starting point.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Education is a vast area of study and an inquiry into this area could be time among other resources consuming. To this end, this study will specifically focus on educating a girl – child and women empowerment in Anambra state with more enquiries to be centered on its challenges. The study will also restrict its coverage to Idemili Local Government of Anambra State.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
In the course of writing and carrying out this research work.
The researcher experienced time constant, the time allowed was in adequate considering the time scope of the study, since the researcher had to use the same time organized group of living e allowed for lectures, assignment and exams.
The researcher also encounter response of the respondent convincing the people to level the much needed information, on the study was a difficult task as most of them seems to be unwilling to do so. Another limitation was financial constraints, money was needed for transportation matters sourcing, pointing of questionnaires, phones calls to the area of study and supervisor as well as internal search which was not always enough. The researcher was able to overcome the limitation where by being fearless, having enough finance for the research and time conscious.
1.8 Definition of Terms
iii. Literacy skills
iii. Parent‘s perceptions
vii. Low self-concept
iii. Vocational and skill acquisition centres
Economic Empowerment: This is the process by which group, communities or sex with low per capital national income may increase their production of goods and services employment level of demand so as to raise their standard of living.(Grenchine 1081)
Enlightenment: This is getting an individual to adopt to the environment in which he lives by inculcating in him those knowledge, skills, values and attitudes required for his day-to-day activities. It could be seen as an instrument for modernization and change.
1.9 Organization of Study
This study will be structured into filled chapters